The Nobel Peace Prize, established in 1901 according to the legacy of Alfred Nobel, has honored individuals and movements that defend peace, human rights, and the effort to resolve conflicts without violence. In more than a hundred years of history, only 19 women have been awarded and just seven Latin Americans have received the prize.
María Corina Machado became the first Venezuelan woman to receive the honor Oct. 10.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced from Oslo that the award was granted to “a woman who keeps alive the flame of democracy amid growing darkness.” In its statement, the committee highlighted her work in defending the democratic rights of the Venezuelan people and her fight for a peaceful transition from dictatorship to a representative government.
The announcement comes amid a complex international context. For just over a month, the United States has deployed ships in the Caribbean, while relations with the government of Nicolás Maduro face diplomatic tensions. Therefore, the prize takes on additional symbolic value, once again placing Venezuela at the center of the global debate on democracy, human rights and civic resistance.
The lady who defied exile
María Corina Machado Parisca, born on Oct. 7, 1967, in Caracas, is an industrial engineer graduated from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, with studies in finance at the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administración (IESA) and training in public leadership at Yale University. From the beginning of her political career, she focused her work on civic activism and the defense of democratic institutions.
She was co-founder of Súmate, an organization dedicated to electoral observation in Venezuela, and later assumed the leadership of Vente Venezuela, a liberal-oriented party. Her career has been marked by sanctions, dismissals, and official disqualifications, as well as episodes of persecution. During the presidential elections of July 28, 2024, in which she was prevented from participating by court order, the opposition denounced electoral fraud and presented records showing a wide lead for Edmundo González Urrutia, the candidate backed by Machado. The official results, which proclaimed the reelection of Nicolás Maduro, were rejected by various governments and international observers, who pointed to irregularities in the process.
After those elections, Machado went into hiding, from where she continued coordinating political actions and communicating messages to her followers through social media and spokespeople of her movement.
Reactions from Tampa
In Tampa Bay, where a large Venezuelan community resides, the Nobel announcement was received with enthusiasm and reflection. It is estimated that more than 21,000 Venezuelans live in the metropolitan area, according to local projections covering Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties, making the region one of the main centers of the Venezuelan diaspora in the state of Florida.
Activist León Granado, president of VenezuelaUSA Foundation, said: “For us, it is a privilege and a blessing to have María Corina Machado as the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. We have respected her work and joined the cause of Venezuela’s freedom.” He recalled how his organization collaborated in the 2023 primaries and in the on-site monitoring of the 2024 electoral process.
“She has carried out a very difficult process with impeccable honesty, even under threats to her life. From anonymity, she continues promoting the unity of Venezuelans toward political liberation,” Granado added.
For Norma Camero Reno, opposition activist and local resident, the prize reaffirms her role as a national symbol.
“Our leader, who managed to unite 80% of the country and has resisted from hiding, remains firm in her mission to achieve freedom and democracy,” she said. “She has never ceased defending human rights.”
Meanwhile, Antonio Arismendi, a resident of Clearwater, stated: “Her fight has been to rescue a severely damaged country — where peace does not reign, but human rights violations are committed. The elderly die for lack of medical attention and a miserable pension. Venezuela, once prosperous, suffers today one of the worst miseries in history. María Corina has advocated to reverse it. We hope to see her triumph soon.”
In turn, Xavier Ramírez, secretary general of Acción Democrática en Resistencia, Tampa Chapter, expressed: “This recognition of courage and peaceful struggle for democracy lights a spark for many. May this Nobel strengthen her voice and remind us that no dictatorship can silence the aspiration for dignity.”
Gloria López Ruiz, doctor in Educational Innovations and Tampa resident, commented: “It fills us with joy to know that our homeland has in its hands a leadership that aligns moral values with coherence between action, word, and thought. In this Hispanic Heritage Month, it is a boost and inspiration for our local community and for the entire Venezuelan diaspora.”
Political and international reactions
International reactions were immediate. In the United States, U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar posted on X a statement:
“Today the world pays tribute to a woman who embodies the spirit of freedom of an entire continent. (She) is the Simón Bolívar of our times. Her courage and unbreakable faith in democracy inspire millions of Venezuelans, and all of us who believe in freedom, to never give up. The Nobel Peace Prize recognizes her struggle, but the true victory will be to see Venezuela free.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Carlos A. Giménez wrote: “María Corina Machado is the Iron Lady of Venezuela. The criminal regime of Maduro has persecuted her and her family, has threatened her life, but she is unafraid. Now more than ever we must protect her.”
At the same time, former U.S. diplomat Richard Grenell posted on X: “The Nobel Prize died years ago,” a phrase that sparked criticism and reactions in diplomatic circles.
Nevertheless, following the Norwegian Committee’s decision, Machado communicated with President Donald Trump to thank him for the prize and dedicate the award to him. However, her gesture generated mixed reactions around the world. Likewise, former President Barack Obama celebrated on X the Venezuelan’s trajectory: “Congratulations to María Corina Machado for her brave struggle to bring democracy to Venezuela. May she inspire those facing similar battles around the world.”
Argentina’s President Javier Milei also spoke after the announcement. In a message on X, he wrote: “My congratulations for this well-deserved recognition for your enormous fight for the brave defense of freedom and democracy. Thank you for the inspiration with which you illuminate the world fighting against Venezuela’s narco-dictatorship.”
Argentina maintains a close relationship with the Trump administration. During the United Nations General Assembly held in New York in September 2025, Trump expressed his “complete and total support” for Milei’s re-election as president.
For his part, former Argentine President Mauricio Macri stated: “Rarely has someone been so rightly chosen to represent peace as with this award. Today more than ever, my heart is with Corina and with the beloved Venezuelan people.”
Caution from Mexico
One of the most talked-about reactions after the announcement came from Mexico. During a press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum was asked about the Nobel Peace Prize granted to Machado and gave a brief answer:
“No comment,” said Sheinbaum in response to the question.
She added that Mexico has always defended “the sovereignty and self-determination of peoples, not only by conviction but because it is established in the (Mexican) Constitution,” and that she would leave her remarks “at that.”
Mexico maintains a policy of non-intervention, and on this occasion chose to withhold its official judgment regarding the international recognition granted to the Venezuelan leader.
A message of peaceful resistance
The Norwegian Nobel Committee emphasized that Machado “has contributed to the unity of the opposition in her country, has rejected social militarization, and has maintained her commitment to a peaceful transition toward democracy.” With her inclusion among the awarded women, her figure gains resonance beyond her country of origin.
The recognition coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month celebrated in the United States, a commemoration dedicated to highlighting the roots, identity, and effort of migrants to build a dignified life far from their homeland.
For León Granado, the recognition of Machado summarizes the sentiment of the 8 million Venezuelans in the diaspora: “She is already part of the heart and the altar of the homeland of all Venezuelans, inside and outside the country.”
The trajectory of the Venezuelan opposition leader reveals a reality still present in some countries of the Latin American region: the difficulty of guaranteeing political participation and the full exercise of citizens’ rights in societies where fundamental freedoms continue to face restrictions.